Avatar: Princess Izumi

III - The Dragonbone Catacombs

Dinner has just finished up and now Izumi and Lu Ella are being escorted to Izumi's room by Xan. Xan remains outside while the two girls go inside. Once inside there is a fire going in the fireplace which wasn't there when they left. Izumi's defense goes up. She sleuthly inspects her room, but nothing is out of place and nothing is missing. Actually there is something extra; Izumi notices a scroll on her bed. She cautiously grabs it, opens it, and reads it.

Your family's history isn't what you think it is. The truth you seek might be found in your great grandfather's accounts which are stored in the Dragonbone Catacombs. Don't get caught. Don't tell anybody. Burn this letter in the fireplace.

"What does it say," Lu Ella asks.

Izumi gives her a smile, "Nothing important." Izumi throws the scroll into the fireplace and Lu Ella gives her skeptical look. Lu Ella doesn't ask anything else.

It's not until Lu Ella is asleep does Izumi quietly sneak out of her window. She is careful to make as little noise as possible. If Xan were to notice her gone and notify the Firelord mayhem would ensue. She stealthily makes her way to the catacombs. Izumi scopes out her surroundings to make sure nobody sees her. She times every movement so as to not get caught by any guards who are on watch.

Once at the catacombs, Izumi looks around and makes sure nobody is watching her or nobody follows her. The coast is clear and she uses her firebending to open the door. The spiral staircase is revealed and she carefully makes her way down. Izumi is met by another door that requires her to firebend again. The door loudly creaks open. She enters the room.

Scrolls upon scrolls are all around the dusty room. All the scrolls all written by previous Firelords. The stories and thoughts of Izumi's ancestors. Izumi starts to look for her great grandfather Zuko's accounts which is the most recent addition to the collection. Zuko passed away peacefully just before Izumi was born. Izumi finally finds Zuko's accounts and she sits down and begins to read.

Hello, Fire Lord Zuko here.
      When I was banished at the age of 13 and sent to hunt down the Avatar, I thought it was my destiny to do so. As I traveled the world hunting him, I met many people whose lives were destroyed by the Fire Nation. While growing up I was told that the Fire Nation was the greatest country and we were only spreading that greatness to the other nations. That could not be further from the truth. I saw how people were scared of the Fire Nation. As I got older, matured, and learned valuable lessons from my Uncle Iroh, I saw that what I thought was good was actually bad. This is why on the year of Sozin's Comet, the day of black sun, I decided to join the Avatar and his team to restore balance to the world. I joined Avatar Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Toph at the Western Air Temple. Joining them wasn't easy. After chasing them across the world, they didn't trust me, which was understandable. It didn't help that I burned Toph's feet accidentally when she came to see me one night. I was so bad at being good. Katara took the longest to come around since I betrayed her in the crystal caves in Ba Sing Se. Katara's opinion on me mattered the most. I wasn't nervous when Aang asked Sokka and Toph if it was okay with them if I joined their group, but when he asked Katara, I was a nervous wreck. I was sweating. When she later came to threaten me, I didn't believe her. That changed when we hunted down Yon Rha, the man who killed her mother. This was my first experience seeing blood bending. I was terrified. Katara was a strong and capable woman. That's why I asked her to join me in battling my sister, Azula when she was about to be crowned Fire Lord on the day of the comet. I didn't have to think twice about jumping in front of that bolt of lightning for Katara. I thought I was the one who was going to defeat Azula, but it wasn't me, it was Katara. I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for Katara. The road to restoring balance wasn't an easy one. My friends and I eventually parted ways. Aang and Katara eventually had their children a few years later. My Izumi came later. My life wasn't exactly an easy one, but it was a life well-lived surrounded by the friends I love.

Izumi is shocked at the lack of new information. She already knew most of this. She thinks of who would write her that letter and why. Her instincts tell her to get out of the room immediately. She quickly puts back the scroll and leaves. She goes back up the spiral staircase and makes a stealthy return to the palace. She carefully goes through her window. She can hear Lu Ellas soft snores.

She changes and gets into bed. She needs all the sleep she can get because she would be leaving for the Southern Water Tribe in a few hours.